Nov 18A New Blue Sun And Maybe, A Better HorizonA string of words about a highly anticipated André 3000 album with no rap lyrics, but much-needed healing. “Solitude can be a profound teacher. It can teach us how to hold ourselves — how to affirm ourselves and listen. How much is the sound of your own voice worth?” —…Jazz6 min readJazz6 min read
Mar 5Member-onlyCool Breeze, Beyond The Rocks — For Dave and De La SoulLike new credit, the blood work’s indebted Microphone donor, two pints of get right I got my cardio up my n — a Don’t give a damn about a party I do it for the body - Dave aka Plug 2 aka Trugoy The Dove I remember having a conversation…Hip Hop6 min readHip Hop6 min read
Nov 7, 2022Member-onlyEnd-To-End Trauma: On Takeoff & The Wake of Hip-Hop MurdersI’m part of the generation that was fortunate enough to be a living and active witness and participant in Hip-Hop as it began to grow exponentially. That means that the precepts and spirit of the culture were being lived out among my friends and those family members who were rap…Hip Hop6 min readHip Hop6 min read
Apr 22, 2021Member-onlyBleeding On The Rubble Where Liberty Should BeIt is hard to feel relief or safety in the aftermath of the Derek Chauvin verdict. The embedded white supremacy in America makes it that way. Where were you when the jury declared Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges for the murder of George Floyd on April 20th, 2021? Personally…George Floyd6 min readGeorge Floyd6 min read
Jan 8, 2021Member-onlyWhen The Villain Was The Hero All Along: Farewell To MF DoomYou get raised on simple, binary conflicts. Coke versus Pepsi. Hot dogs versus hamburgers. Mars versus Venus. Yankees versus Red Sox. Heroes against villains. But life in all of its myriad ways, will reach out and tell you that it never has been, and never will be that simple. Hip-Hop…Hip Hop8 min readHip Hop8 min read
May 16, 2020Member-onlyAmerica Is Eating Itself ,And They’re Fine With Black People & POC As The First Course.COVID-19 is the latest, and most grim example of the fractures of this nation coming to light. It’s time to come to grips with something. We are in the midst of seeing this country eating itself away. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed just how much certain segments of this American…Coronavirus6 min readCoronavirus6 min read
Mar 6, 2020Member-onlyCoronavirus For Most of Us, or How To Avoid The Bigots, Price Gougers and HustlersWell, it took about a month or so, but COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus has finally made its way to the United States. And some folks are PANICKING. Over the past few days alone, I have seen more news broadcasts showing the lines of people at stores like Costco…Health5 min readHealth5 min read
Aug 21, 2019Split-Seconds And SorrowBeing a New Yorker means that you are imbued with a calling to tell it like it is, when the need arises. For some, that need isn’t pressing until certain circumstances demand that it is. And then, it’s time to lay it all out on the table. On Sunday, August…Cycling4 min readCycling4 min read
Aug 4, 2019Member-onlyHome Grown Hate On Aisle ThreeTwo mass shootings in one week, and how America is crumbling under the weight of its original sin — unchecked & systemic racism. Summer in America. This season conjures up many things to many people. Ice cream. Fireworks. The cascading perfume of hot dogs and hamburgers on a barbecue grill…Politics9 min readPolitics9 min read
Published inCROWNS ON TOP·May 2, 2019Member-onlyThe Hurricane We Don’t Hear About — Tommy Hurricane JacksonGrowing up in Southeast Queens, New York City means that you come up with an embedded ethic of hard work and pride and perseverance. The bar is already high because of the many people who grew up and resided in the area. There’s a mural that depicts a few of…Sports6 min readSports6 min read
